1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system and method for a 3-dimensional display, and more particularly to a system and method for a 3-dimensional display of images that reduces processing requirements and reduces eyestrain.
2. Description of the Related Art
Much activity is underway to develop new forms of visualization including holography, 2½ dimensional (2½D) and 3 dimensional (3D) displays, and virtual reality, with the apparent objective to provide greater information coupling to the human senses. The present technologies are stereographic goggle systems similar to the old stereographic viewers for virtual reality, new forms of plasma flat screen displays with alternating stereo views using either sequential or interleaved simultaneous views, and a mechanical rapid movement optical system that provides a volumetric image within a glass dome. Present 3D display technology is either a) monochromatic (holography or colored glasses), b) flat digital displays with sequential or interleaved offsets for depth perception, essentially 3D perspective on 2D, virtual reality headgear (similar to stereographic goggle systems), and mechanical optics.
Another conventional system generally consists of a head mounted graphic display connected to a computer, along with a method for communicating to the computer the exact direction in which the person wearing the head mounted display is facing. The attempt of these systems is to create for the person wearing the display, the illusion of being in a different location. In order to achieve this, the computer displays the virtual environment as if it were being viewed from both the position and the direction that the person is looking. As the person moves his head and the head mounted display, the computer continuously changes the image being viewed to show the virtual environment from the current perspective. Thus, it appears to the person wearing the display that they are actually in the virtual environment and are looking around.
Another problem in the conventional systems arises when a computer computes the stereo offset of the scene to assure the user's 3D virtual display appropriately rotates and changes distance while the user moves and looks in different directions. This requires a precise input on the location and look angle, both head and eyes, of the user relative to the display to assure precise superposition of the actual and stereo offset images. This superposition, or grid alignment, is a problem that the conventional systems are attempting to solve.